Presently available anti-theft devices range from physical devices such as chains and locks to motion detectors and remotely-triggered alarms as well as internal circuitry which causes an alarm to sound when the portable computer is moved. Others rely entirely on additional internal circuitry to cause an alarm to sound when the cover is closed on the portable computer.
Current anti-theft devices include the following: U.S. Pat. No. 5,757,271 to Andrews (1998)—a two-part motion detector, with one part internal and one part external; U.S. Pat. No. 5,760,690 to French (1998)—an internal motion detector; U.S. Pat. No. 5,648,762 to Ichimura (1997)—a “docking station” attached to a work surface into which the portable computer can be inserted and literally locked-down. U.S. Pat. No. 5,872,515 to Ha (1997) teaches a hardware means of causing an alarm to sound.
All of these devices are physical, hardware devices requiring either that the device be installed inside the computer case during manufacture or that the device be attached externally. The former method limits the protection to those who buy from particular manufacturers. The latter might prevent theft but also prevents the authorized user from carrying the computer from place to place. Since ease of transport and the ability to use the personal computer in many locations are among the primary reasons for owning a portable computer, anything that prevents the authorized user from transporting the portable computer decreases the usefulness of the portable computer.
A drawback of current internally installed anti-theft devices to manufacturers of portable computers is the extra expense of buying or making the hardware, and warehousing spares for repairs. Since the trend in portable computers is for them to be ever thinner and lighter, finding a place to put hardware without impeding heat-removal airflow is another drawback. A further drawback of the existing internal devices is that computers already manufactured cannot utilize the internal devices.
A major drawback of external chains and locks for portable computers is that the chains and locks must be carried along and attached at each place the portable computer is used. These devices provide no protection at all to the forgetful who leave them home or are in too much of a hurry to use them. Many such devices are not, themselves, portable since they must be screwed down or otherwise permanently fastened to some object not easily moved, such as a table.